Earth mover



Nour. 7, 1950 E, w, Aus-UN 2,529,124

EARTH MovER s sheets-sheet 3 Filed Aug. 2, 1944 INVENTOR. E/swor'fh W usin B Y W Arrovfy Patented Nov. 7, 1950 EARTH MOVER Ellsworth W. Austin, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, assignor to La Plant-Choate Manufacturing Co., Inc., VrCedar Rapids, Iowa, a corporation of Delaware Y Application August 2, 1944, Serial No. 547,751

This invention relates in general to earth moving lequipment such as, for example, bulldozers, and more particularly to the manner of mounting the implement blade of such equipment.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an adjustable mounting wherein the implement may be tilted in respect to the ground so that one end only may be used for removing material, such asin forming drainage ditches..

Another object of the invention is to provide means wherein the tilting adjustment of an implement may be made from one side of the tractor independently of the other side of the tractor.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a bulldozer of an implement which may be tilted on an axis substantially coaxial with the axis of the bulldozer by a combination of adjustments at the ends of the implement.

Still another object of the invention isl the provision in a bulldozel` of a readily detachable bulldozer implement so arranged that it can be swung about a central vertical axis in advance of the bulldozer frame, the :tramev being arranged to tilt the implement by an adjustment at one side of the frame, or the'other side of the frame, or both. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine suitably adjustable for various types of earth moving wherein the implement may have its digging angle adjustable in respect to the ground. f

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulldozer having its frame members easily detachable for transportation.

The invention involves a novel arrangement of screw jacks, and the means for operating them, in such a fashion that the effectiveness of the device is greatly enhanced.

The foregoing and other obiects of the invention are attained in the embodiment illustrated in the drawingsin which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a bulldozer embodying the objects of my invention.

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the bulldozer shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a Vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure'l.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line Vl-l of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a detailed plan View on an enlarged scale of the ratchet device taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view'of the ball and socket connection employed between the tractor side frames and the rear ends of the push arms.

2 claims. (C1. 37-144) Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a cable operated bulldozer embodying the objects of my invention.

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevation of the sheave mounting used in connection with the cable operated machines shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of still another form of bulldozer embodying the objects of my invention.

Figure l0 is an'enlarged section taken on the line it- Ill of Figure 9.

In each form of the invention and more particularly as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tractor used is of the track laying type and is designated by the reference numeral II, and comprises a main body portion generally designated by the reference numeral I2, an engine housing I3, and an operators station I4. Disposed on either side of the tractor main body portion in spaced relation thereto are track frames I5, provided with drive sprockets I6 and idlers I'I. Trained about the drive sprockets I6 and'idlers I'I 'are ground engaging tracks I8. The track frames I5 are pivotally attached to the main body portion of the tractor in a conventional manner for oscillation, and although not shown, the forward portion of the tractor is supported in the usual manner by a transverse equalizer spring.

Bolted to each of the track frames I5 is a plate rI9 provided with an outwardly extending ballshaped trunnion 2 I, and mounted on each of the trunnions 2l is a socket22 secured to the rear end of a forwardly extending push arm 23 and socket connections.y The push arms 23 are of box construction vhaving their cross sections tapering toward the ends and more appreciablv converging at their forward ends 24, as clearly shown in Figure 3. Welded within thevforward end 24 of each of the push arms is the shank 25 of a discshaoed end member 26.

As .shown in Figures l, 2 and the pusher arms carry a tool or implement generally designated by the reference numeral 2l. Implement 2'I is a fabricated structure comprising ay curved moldboard 28 having a detachable cutting edge ZBand an integrally welded blade reinforcing plate 30. Extending rearwardly fromthe blade reinforcing plate 3!! are gusset'members 30a (see Figure l) welded both to the blade reinforcing plate 30 and to vertically disposed inside cheek plates 3I. Similarly disposed outside cheek plates 3Ia are welded directly to the-blade reinforcing plate 30 in spacedlrelation with respect to the cheek plates 3I for the reception therebetween of the forward ends of the push arms 23. Welded to the upper and. lower edges of the cheek plates 3I and 3Ia vings is an outwardly extending pin 35. Each pin is detachably secured within its bushing by a keeper pin 35a and extends through bores formed in the cheek plates and in the pusher arms. Due to this construction, each end of the tool or implement 21 is free to move or be cocked about the axis of the pin 35.

Extending through and welded to each end of the top plate 32 in substantial alignment with the disc-shaped end members V26 is av bearing sleeve 33, and journaled within the sleeve 36 is the shank 31 of screw 38 (see Figure 3). Vertical displacement of the screw 38 within the `sleeve 36 is prevented by a 11a-nge formed on the shank 31.

Threaded within the upper end of the shank 31 is a shank extension #i5 and keyed to the upper end of the shank extension 48 between a pair of washers Si and site is a ratchet wheel 42 formed with ratchet teeth 522e. Disposed over the ratchet wheel i2 is the head 43 of a wrench M, the head 43 being of slightly less depth than the ratchet wheel 42, so as to permit the head to turn freely between the two washers 4I and Ma. Slidably accommodated within a recess in the wrench head 43 is a radial pawl 43a urged inwardly by a spring 45. Threaded over the end of the shank extension 4) is a nut i5a serving to lock the ratchet wheelibetween the two washers di and 4I a and to the upper shank 31. With this construction each of the screws 38 can be rotated within its bearing sleeve 35, it being understood that both sides of the tool or implement l21 are symmetrical in this respect. Also, -it is to be observed that by rotation of the pawl i3a on its own axis through 180 the wrenches 44 are operatable to rotate their associated screws 33 either clockwise or counterclockwise as desired.

Mountedon the lower end of each of the screws 33 between the cheek plates 3| and 3la is a threaded sleeve or nut 41 formed integral with a box-shaped socket 48 for snugly accommodating the disc-shaped end member 26. Secured to the sleeve 41 is a gauge rod 49 extending upwardly through a guide sleeve ,53 welded to the top plate 32. Formed along the upper length of the rod 49 are a plurality of annular gauge rings I for visually indicating the relative position of the sleeve 41 `with respect to the screw 38` and, therefore, the relative angular position of each end of the tool or implement 21 with respect to its associated pusher arm. In this connection, it is to be noted that since the screw 38 has no longitudinal movement with respect to its bearing sleeve 35 and the nut or sleeve 41 is fixed against rotary movement, rotation of the screw 33 will of necessity raise or lower the sleeve 41 with respect to the screw. This in turn willcause the implement 21 to tilt or cock about the axis of its associated pin 35. Both ends of the implement mayV be tilted in the same clockwise direction or in' opposed directions as desired in order properly to position the implement with respect to the ground. When the proper adjustment of the implement has been made, the handles of the two wrenches IM are locked under clips 52 carried by the `implement 21 (see Figure 1).

In accordance with my invention I provide means for raising and lowering the implement 21, and this is preferably a hydraulicmeans such as shown in Figures l and 2 and more completely described in principle in the Ellsworth W. Austin Patent No. 2,341,853, issued February 15, 1944. In view of this reference, a complete detailed description of the hydraulic mechanism is deemed unnecessary here. Referring to Figures l and 2, briefly, hydraulic jacks 6I are employed for connecting the implement 21 with brackets 62 mounted on the main body portion I2 of the tractor, pins 33 being arranged on overhanging lugs 313, about which the hydraulic jacks 6I are free to pivot during the raising and lowering of the implement. The piston rods 65 of the jacks are Vprovided with knuckle joints 65 to allow for the implement 21 to be tilted and operated without regard to the adjusting action taking place when the jacks become actuated by the hydraulic fluid transmitted to them through pipes 61 from the controlvalve 68 placed for the convenience of the operator. A conventional rotary type pump, not shown, driven from Vthe tractor engine is arranged to supply oil pressure to the system. The application of the oil pressure being utilized to operate the jacks to raise and lower the implement in accordance with the operators manipulation of the control valve. It is understood that, since the jacks yare inter-communicative in respect to the'oil flow, one of these may be more or less extended to suit the particular condition arising at the moment, should the implement be adj ustably tilted by the screw jack action of either or both of the screws 38.

Under certain conditions it is desirable to operate the structure by utilizing a cable lifting apparatus in lieu of the hydraulic lifting system above described, and in Figures '7 and 8 the objects of my invention have been embodied in a machine of this general type. In order properly to compensate for the screw jack adjustment of the implement in this case, I make use of an arched sheave pin 1l, shown in Figure 8, mounted centrally on the upper portion of the implement 21, through brackets 12 welded thereto. Mounted on the pin 1| for movement thereon is sheave 13 provided as shown in Figures 7 and 8 with a pair of opposed depending ears 14. Carried by the ears 14 is a bolt 15, and mounted on this bolt is a roller 16 having ya concave periphery on which the pin 1| is supported.

Straddling the engine housing I3 and secured to the tractor main frame I2 is an overhead frame 11,. Mounted centrally from the cross member of this frame is a sheave 18 in alignment with the sheave 13. Both of the sheaves 13 and 18 carry sheave wheels 19 and 19EL respectively, about which is reeved a four part cable line passing to the rear of the tractor and connecting with a power winch in a conventional manner. In all other respects the Vmachine illustrated in Figures 'I and 8 can beA made in accordance with the structure shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive.

In Figures 9 and 10, further objects of my invention have been illustrated as applied to a standard self track laying tractor of the same type as shown in Figures l and 2, and including a tractor 'main frame 9 I, tractor side frames 92 and push arms 93. -In this modification, however,'the push arms are pivoted at their rear ends to the tractor side frames between the tractor main frame and the side frames by ball and socket connections of the type shown in Figure 6.

Extending across the forward end of the machine is a U-shaped cross frame Sli 0f box-form construction connected at either end to the push arms 93 by pins 95. The ends of the push arms terminate in disc-shaped members 9E snugly ac- K each side of the cross frame 94.

parts being identical with the construction illusl trated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, except that in the instant modification, a sprocket wheel 130 is iasto the bracket 112 at any one of a number of points, two such points being shown. It may be noted that when tilting of the implement 10B takes place, the cross frame 94, the implement |06 and the associated links, such as I 14 and 1 15,

may be considered for all practical purposes as a unit.

tened to each of the shank extensions 103 and a K chain 13| operatively associated therewith. As shown in Figure 9, the two reaches of the chain |31 are parallel and consequently the rotation of one of the shank extensions |03 will cause both ends of the bulldozer blade either to raise or lower depending on the direction of rotation of the shank extension. By crossing the reaches of the chain, which will require a longer chain, the rotation of one of the shank extensions can be made to raise one end of the blade and simultaneously lower its opposite end. In this modification then, it is possible to cock or tilt either or both ends of the cross frame 94 with respect to the forward ends of the push arms 93.

Swiveled to the cross frame 94 centrally thereof is a working tool or implement 106, this connection being made by a pin 101 journaled in the cross frame 94 and by a pin |08 extending through hinge lugs 109 welded to the rear side of the implement 106 and through the head of the pin 10'1 at right angles thereto. As a result of this structure, the implement |06 is free to rotate on the axis of the pin 101, as well as on the axis of the pin 108, irrespective of the angle which the cross frame 94 is made to assume by the screw jacks 102.

Although due to the swivel connection between the implement and the cross frame, the implement is capable of universal movement with respect to the cross frame, provision is made, as shown in Figure 9, for locking the implement in any selected one of a number of angular positions.

The structure resorted to for accomplishing this result is described in considerable detail in my cao-pending application Serial No. 431,033, led February 16, 1942. Briey, this structure comprises a bracket 11| welded to each end of the implement, and opposed brackets |12 welded to Secured to and For the purpose of raising and lowering the implement 10B, a pair of spaced apertured ears |21 are Welded centrally of and to the cross frame 94 for the reception of a pin 122. Mounted on this pin is sheave 123 through which is reeved a cable 124 passing upwardly over an opposed sheave not shown and then to a cable winch in any well known manner. It will, of course, be understood that in lieu of spaced apertured ears 12| and pin 122, the arrangement shown in Figure 8 using a bent pin such as '11 may be made use of. Obviously, the sheave mounting illustrated in Figure 8 can be substituted for that illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.

I claim:

1. An earth mover comprising: a tractor; push arms pivoted to said tractor on either side thereof a U-shaped tool supporting member pivoted to said push arms to the rear of the forward ends thereof; a jack screw journaled in each end of said tool supporting member and longitudinally immovable with respect thereto; a non-rotative sleeve threaded to said jack screw and provided with a socket for the reception of the end of one of said push arms; and means for turning said jack screw in either direction.

f 2. An earth mover comprising a tractor, push arms pivoted to said tractor on either side thereof,

a tool supporting member having rearward extensions, means pivoting said extensions to said push arms rearwardly of the'forward ends of said push arms, a pair of jack screws journalled in said tool supporting member and longitudinally immovable with respect thereto, non-rotative sleeve members respectively threaded to said jack screws, each 0f said sleeve members including a Y socket for receiving the end of one of said push between each pair of these opposed brackets is hand side of Figure 9. The link 115 as shown on the right-hand side of this figure can be secured arms, and means for turning said jack screws in either direction.

Y ELLSWORTH W. AUSTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,964,360 Le Tourneau June 26, 1934 27,173,158 Corbett Sept. 19, 1939 2,173,406 Wilkinson Sept. 19, 1939 2,215,025 Austin Sept; 17, 1940 v 2,408,268 Peterson et al Sept. 24, 1946 

